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With the temperatures finally of one's triple digits, the milder temperatures and much warm, sunny days during the fall and winter months in Arizona enchant many tourists and winter visitors from at any place nation and the humankind. The months of April and November are especially beautiful and frequently months here in Arizona to invest outdoors and enjoy nature while not having to travel a long distance to pay the higher elevations. A new good place to go, clothes up for taking time trek a little off the beaten path to a fully scenic red rock oasis for some time remote back country canyon exploration and effortless rated hike without throngs of tourists and traffic like as part of Sedona, then check out the Parson Spring Hike, at once Sycamore Canyon Wilderness, Cottonwood, Arizona.

Starting out from N . Phoenix, I met on with my good friends and fellow hikers following beautiful late October saturday or sunday morning, then by 9am we start off out on our day's offering adventure heading north on Interstate I-17 for about 72 miles, until we quickly reached the Cottonwood/Payson get out 287, Route 260. Stick to brief stop at A coffee house, we headed west on 260 after signs for Cottonwood in addition to drove about 12 miles. By 10: 45am, there we were in Cottonwood and created a left at the intersection to spend Route AZ-89A. We heard 89A, hanging a on Main Street through "Old The metropolis Cottonwood", until we reached example and turn off web based Tuzigoot National Monument. At Tuzigoot National Monument, several other Native American archeological site, we made a sizable, crossed over the Verde Body of water, then turned left located on FR 131 or Sycamore Canyon Green.

Sycamore Canyon road, FR 131, begins by following along a section of the beautiful Verde River and is paved but only because of a very short ways, then regarded as all dirt, gravel road for 12 miles until you get to the trail head. Every time we open continued on FR 131, acknowledging how remote it felt, but also noticing that this gorgeous the scenery grew to become with the red stones of Sycamore Canyon away and off to the distance straight out till you. The washboard road regarding FR 131 winds near, narrowing down in some places, and except for a few spots along the way where it seemed a good rough and extra pebbly, overall I thought the road was in pretty good shape. We had driven it in an SUV but I'd the road is passable to regular vehicles by subtracting it really slow. Or too, if you think about drive it in a day-to-day car, you'll need to be the cause of the extra time it will require to arrive at the trailhead and include that into your daily travel plans and arrange.

By 12pm, and after a brief rest stop along the way, we finally arrived at the Parson Spring Trail and the wonderful Sycamore Canyon where we parked scenario small trailhead parking area on a right hand side. The view from the top the hill looking within Sycamore Canyon below, where there we were heading, absolutely beautiful! We got our gear together when you are done taking a few pictures together with a group shot, we were able to start our day's travel and canyon exploration to go and Sycamore Canyon.

Sycamore Canyon means it is Arizona's 2nd largest Red Rock Canyon after Maple Creek Canyon in Sedona, this expansive and remote wilderness territory may have approximately 58, 000 acres extending within from Williams in the north, at its upper gets into, down to the Verde Valley at its southernmost, lower end. Sycamore Canyon is simply scenic though as a new famous Oak Creek Canyon, but much bad side due to most it's wilderness territory being undeveloped. As a result, you have all the gorgeous black rock cliffs and breathtaking scenery like in Sedona, but without entire crowds or throngs of tourists, making it an excessively scenic but much more serene backcountry canyon hiking experience and tour.

As most trail descriptions accurately state, the Parsons Spring End begins by crossing via a old wooden gate, then via numerous steps, makes a developing decent, roughly about a 200 foot drop to the canyon bottom. Along the way you'll pass a image for Parson Spring End & Packard Mesa Trail, just stay left closer to Parson Spring Trail. Once employing canyon bottom, the trail begins through using along the beautiful Sycamore View, a dense and heavily forested riparian habitat attractions that at this year, late October through Nov, was beginning to variance color making it an excellent opportunity to see some beautiful fall foliage scenery.

Thoroughly experiencing and enjoying the beautiful heavily wooded riparian landmarks, set up against the attractive red rock cliffs for their Sycamore Canyon, we continued our trek the Parsons Trail, following next to the winding Sycamore Creek, while also noticing just how peaceful and soothing the sounds of the identical waterfalls were along the way from the rushing water playing in rocks and boulders for some perennial stream. With practically nobody out on the trail besides us tomorrow, and with the arousing, sunny, 70-80 degree high temperature weather, it felt for example a perfect serene wilderness escape, we were all looking for. Wonderful!

Roughly after not too distant of 1. 5-2. 0 miles and after stopping for some picture taking along the way, we crossed over coming summer rocky creek, looked up and yet been totally stunned and speechless at what gachi saw. We had popular what like a red rock oasis simply by using a large crystal clear warm water pool below. Wow, systematically gorgeous! During summer months when temperature is soaring, this is a very popular area and hike to find cool off by climbing the particular rock cliffs above and jumping off with the cool swimming hole below. Although we weren't considering cliff jumping that early morning, we couldn't resist climbing in the rock cliff facade to check it out to live in. From the top, it are evidently quite a drop above too, maybe 20 feet or more, guessing. But it looked like it'd be involved to come back and it is do sometime when summer time returns again.

After any break for taking extra pictures at the pink coloured rock oasis, we turn up on the Parsons Track and continued our journey and investigation of the gorgeous red pebble Sycamore Canyon. By this time we were really thought we were way out somewhere remote through the back country as we made bide our time along the trail passing by many small caves, and across narrow heavy metal and rock cliff ledges all carved in the sides of my own canyon's rock walls. Wow, really amazing!

As you will find many trail descriptions and important ups state, the Parsons Trail continues using total distance of close to 3. 7 miles, continually crossing over the rocky Sycamore Creek, some say about really 5 times. We lost track of the identical number but remember many creek crossings and the closer you're free to Parson's Spring, the less recognizable the trail becomes so you should watch closely for a game built cairns to secrets for you and keep yourself on the trail. From a particular oasis, its about another quantity miles of creek crossings and route finding merchant finally reach Parson's Spring break. Also true to many trail descriptions and mention of ups, Parsons Spring is not easily recognizable. However, ahead of time when you arrive as it is a large pool of shallow water is during a beautiful riparian isle. Although they say the trail continues facade, we didn't find as well as. By now it was already 4pm and starting in order late so we decided that this is good our stopping point during the day and after a passing rest break, we headed and also arrived back at the trail head by 6pm, then drove the 12 rides and distances back FR 131 to Cottonwood can be 7pm.

After arriving on Cottonwood, in the section called "Old Town Cottonwood" we decided to stop for biscuits before driving back towards Phoenix. A great place to stop for a drink and a delicious dessert makes the whole "Old Town Red Chook Caf矇" where their 6 shield of encryption chocolate cake is absolutely incredible! However, they close daily at 4pm so really want to get there early. So we decided instead to head to your neighbors to the historical "Tavern Grill" dinner. It is really a popular to penetrate Old Town that displays excellent menu! The restaurant had a lot history behind it plus you get to it was originally that are part of 1910 as the "Old Towne Structure Theatre" but had been burned down, was rebuilt then burned down other useful times when in 2004 that rebuilt yet again and converted to a restaurant and named "The Tavern Grill Restaurant". We really had a good time and enjoyed our provisions, then by 8pm, we started our drive back home again and arrived in Phoenix by 9: 30pm. Our total hiking distance round trip the Parson Spring Trail, in the 7 miles, with a regular hiking time of close to 3-5 hours, and your total round trip trip and distance, traveling issued by North Phoenix, about 112 miles contributing to 2. 5 hours to the trail head.

In all, it was absolutely a higher, memorable and enjoyable outing and easy hike I highly recommend. So if you're searching for an excellent place to go that's a little off of the beaten path, very charming, quiet and a in peace red rock canyon, with a rich riparian habitat and a gorgeous, majestic desert dance floor, without all the packed areas, tourists or traffic prefer Sedona, then be sure to look into the Parson Spring Hike, at once Sycamore Canyon Wilderness, Cottonwood, Arizona using truly incredible red heavy metal and rock canyon hike and excursion adventure!